Closure for tubes and like containers



May 1%, 3934. F. 23. FmRTC-"G v 1358,4259

CLOSURE FOR TUBES AND LIKE CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 29, 1952 a I f 6 I7 2 Q 62 2 0 E d 49 Imfent r Pan] Affi Patented May 15, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" CLOSURE FOR TUBES LIKE CONTAINERS of Delaware Application August 29,

Claims.

The present invention relates to closures for tubes and like containers, such as contain tooth paste, shaving soap, salves, ointments, talcum powder, etc.-

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved closure cap which is actuated by a simple pushing or pulling motion;in the preferred embodiment the container is opened by pulling on the cap and is closed by pushing on the cap. The cap is inseparably mounted on the tube or other container, and is capable of this limited pushing or pulling motion for closing or opening a discharge outlet effective between the neck of the tube and the cap. The inseparable mounting of the cap on the tube avoids the vexation of the cap falling upon the floor, or dropping into the drain outlet of the wash bowl, or-becoming lost. The push-pull motion permits instant convenient opening and closing of the tube; the cap can be actuated by the thumb and forefinger of the hand holding the tube.

One of the more specific objects of the invention is to provide a cap closure of this type characterized by improved spring means whichinseparably holds the cap on the neck of the tube, which gives a snap action to the motion of the cap, and which, when the cap is in its closed position, exerts a constant closing pressure against the cap for maintaining the discharge outlet sealed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reciprocable cap type of closure which is less expensive to manufacture and assemble.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved closure of this general type char-- acterized by a greater area and effectiveness of seal between the cap and the neck of the tube.

, Another object is to provide animproved arrangement of cooperating closure portsin the tube neck and cap.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detail description of a preferred embodiment thereof. In the accompanying drawing illustrating such embodimentz- Figure l is an elevational view showing my invention embodied in a typical collapsible tube. such as might contain tooth paste, shaving cream or the like:

Figures 2 and 8 are fragmentary sectional views on an enlarged scale, taken on the planes of the lines 2-2 and 3- -3 respectively of Figure 5, Figure 2 illustrating the cap in its closed position and Figure 3 illustrating the cap in its open position;#

Figure Us a fragmentary elevational view show- 'ing the formation of the neck of the tube;

Figure 5 is a plan view thereof; and Figure 6 is a plan view illustrating the snap spring.

1932, Serial No. 630,714

The main body portion 10 of the tube is preferably composed of thin pliable metal typical of the usual collapsible tube, although it. might be composed of impregnated paper or like material. The neck portion 11 of the tube and the coopcrating closure cap 12 preferably consist of ligh metallic die castings, although if desired these parts might be stamped, spun or otherwise constructed. The joining of said neck 11 to the body portion 10 by crimping, fusing, welding, etc. is a practice well understood in the art.

The neck 11 has a cylindrical outer surface or wall 14, and a bore 15 opening into the interior of the tube. An end portion 16 is anintegral part of the outer end of the neck 11. At a plurality of spaced points around the interior of the neck, inclined ribs or lugs 1'7 extend diagonally from the surface of the bore -15 to the under side of the end portion 16, for integrally joining the end portion to the neck 11. A slightly reduced plug extension 18 projects'outwardly from the upper side of the end portion 16. The contents of the tube are discharged through outlet ports 19 which open outwardly from the bore 15 below the end portion lfiand between the diagonal ribs According to onepreferred method of constructing the ports and tapered surface'at the outerend of the neck portion, this neck is originally die cast to have its outer portion of straight cylindrical contour, as indicated by the dotted lines a: in Fig-' ure 4. The cylindrical surface of the bore 15, in this original form, is also extended up to the under side-of the end portion 16, as represented by the-dotted linesy, except atthe locations of the inclined ribs 17." This outer portion is then machined oil on a taper which intersects the bore diameter 1!. The result-is a tapered outer surface 21 having the large size outlet ports 19 opening therethrough between the ribs 17. While such constitutes the preferred method of forming the ported outer end of the neck, it will'be understood that other methods may be utilized if desired.

The closure cap 12 is mainly of cylindrical form, having the cylindrical inner surface or bore 24, which has a snug sliding fit over the cylindrical outer surface 14 of the neck 11. The outer portion of the cap is formed with a tapered inner surface 25 lying on the same taper as the surface 21 flt down over the circular plug extension 18 formed on the end of the neck 11. In the illustrated construction, the plug extension 18 is provided with a cylindrical sealing surface 181: and with an no I outwardly extending sealing shoulder 18b pro- Jecting substantially at right angles thereto; and

the cap 12 is provided with matching sealing curfaces in the form of a cylindrical surface 28a;

around the opening 26 having snug engagement with the surface 18a, and in the form ofa right angle shoulder 26b having direct sealing contact against the right angle shoulder 18b of the neck. While this is the preferred construction, if desired, either one of these cooperating pairs of seal ing surfaces may be formed on a taper. When the cap is in its closed position, Figure 2, the tapered inner surface 25 of the cap lies in immediate proximity to, or in contact with, those portions 21a and 21b of the tapered surface 21 lying above and below the outlet ports 19. When the cap is in its open position (Figure 3) the separation of the tapered surface 25 from the tapered surface 21a establishes an annular duct or channel 28 extending from the outlet ports 19 up to the discharge opening 26.

Formed around the lower end of the cap 12 is an enlarged annular bead 31, the outer surface of which may be knurled as illustrated in Figure 1. Within this bead is mounted the spring detent means whi'ch, in the preferred embodi-' ment, comprises a spring ring 33, such as is illustrated in Figure 6. This ring is disposed in an annular internal groove 34 formed within the bead 31, "the outwardly extending depth of said groove being suflicient to permit the ring to be expanded outwardly therein when the cap is being forced down over the neck in the assembly of the construction. The ring tends to contract inwardly, and as the cap is moved between its opened and closed positions the spring snaps inwardly into one or the other of two spaced annular grooves 35 and 36 formed around the neck 11. The adjacent inner sides of the two grooves are formed with sloping cam surfaces 35a and 36a which extend up to the intermediate land 'or dwell 37 provided between the two grooves. The outer side of the upper groove 35 is provided with a right angle shoulder 35b, beyond which the spring 33 cannot move after it has snapped into the annular groove or pocket 35, whereby said spring effectively locks the cap 12 from becoming separated from the neck 11. The sloping cam surface 36a leading down into the lower groove or pocket 36 is so positioned with regard to the sealing surfaces 18b and 26b that when the cap is moved to closed position and the sealing surface 26b is firmly engaged against the sealing surface 18b, the spring ring 33 will be lying on this inclined cam surface 36a, whereby the contracting pressure of the spring is pulling inwardly on the cap. This maintains a resilient spring pressure on the cap tending to hold it in closed position, and this spring pressure is still effective, tending to seat the cap, even if small accumulations of the contents of the tube remain on the sealing surfaces 18b and 26b.

The depth of the grooves or pockets 35 and 36 and the cross-sectionalthickness of the detent spring 33 are so proportioned that when the spring is engaging in either one of these grooves the axial center of the thickness of the spring is positioned a very slight distance outwardly beyond the line of the inner cap surface 24 whereby the right angle shoulders at the top and bottom of the outer groove 34 do not exert any camming action on the spring which might tend to bind the spring in the grooves 35, 36. In assembling the cap over the neck, the detent spring 33 is sprung into the groove 34 and the cap is then pushed down over the neck. The tapered surface 21 cams the spring back into the groove 34 for enabling the spring to slide down over the cylindrical outer portion of the neck.

It will be noted that the detent parts 33, 34, 35 and 36 are disposed relatively remote from the openings 19 and 26, through which the contents of the tube are discharged, "and the closely fitting walls 14 and 24 of the neck and cap form an effective barrier for preventing the tube contents from reaching these detent parts or from being discharged out around the inner end of the cap.

' It will be seen from the foregoing description that I have provided an improved 'closure for tubes and like containers wherein the cap is inseparably mounted on the neck of the container; wherein the cap is opened and closed by a simple pulling and pushing motion; and wherein the spring detent means gives a snap action to the motion of the cap and also exerts a con- I Having thus described my invention, whatlclaim is:

1. A container comprising a neck member having a discharge opening therein, a cap member having a push-pull sliding motion on saidI-neck member and reciprocally mounted thereon for movement to two positions for opening and closing said discharge opening, and detent means for holding said cap member in each of its positions on said neck member, said detent means coact-ing between said members and having sliding contact with one of said members.

2. A container comprising a neck member having a discharge opening therein, a cap member having a push-pull sliding motion with respect to said neck member and reciprocable to one position thereon for closing said discharge opening, a

detent spring means for holding said cap member in said one position on said neck member, and means cooperating with said detent spring means to prevent the cap member from being detached from said neck member.

3. ,A container comprising a neck member havinga discharge opening therein, a cap member for closing said discharge opening, one of said members having a plurality of longitudinally spaced depressions therein and said cap member having a push-pull sliding motion on said neck member, and snap means carried by one of said members adapted to engage with different depres sions in the other of said members to positively hold saidmembers in a plurality of relative posiing a push-pull sliding motion on said neck member, and detent means comprising a snap device carried by one of said members and spaced means carried by the other of said members and cooperating with said detent means for positively holding said cap member in either of its two positions.

5. A container comprising a neck member, a cap member mounted for endwise sliding motion over said neck member, one of said members having a depression therein, a discharge opening in said cap member, a plug portion on the neck member and adapted to engage in said discharge opening when said cap member is moved to closed position, and spring detent means carried by one of said members and adapted to slide into and out of engagement w lth a depression carried by the other 6. A container comprising a neck-having a discharge opening therein, a cap mounted for endwise reciprocatory motion over said neck and having a discharge opening therein arranged whereby when said cap is reciprocated to its open position the contents of the tube can be dischargedthrough said openings and when said cap is reciprocated to its closed position one of said openings is closed, two annular grooves in said neck separated by an annular raised portion, and a spring ring carried by said cap and adapted to snap across said raised portion into said grooves as said cap is reciprocated between its opened and closed positions.

7. A container comprising a neck member having a discharge opening therein, a cap member mounted for endwise reciprocatory motion over said neck member and adapted to control said opening, a spring detent device carried by one of said members, cooperating detent surfaces carried by the other of' said members to be engaged by said detent device to hold said members in different relative positions, and means cooperating with said detent device for resisting the movementof said cap members from-one position to another relative to said neck member.

8. A container comprising a neck having a discharge opening therein, a cap having a reciprocatory sliding motion on said neck, means whereby the cap controls the discharge of the contents of said container through said opening, a substantially annular groove formed internally in said cap, a spring ring mounted in said groove, and two substantially annular groves formed externally on said neck into which said spring ring is adapted to snap as said cap is reciprocated between opened and closed positions.

9. A container comprising a neck having a discharge opening therein, a cap for controlling the discharge of the contents of said container through said opening, said cap having reciprocatory sliding motion over said neck, a detent surface on said neck, a substantially annular spring ring mounted within said cap and having sliding contact with said detent surface, and shouldered means cooperating with said spring ring and carried by said neck to prevent the' detachment of said cap therefrom.

10. A container comprising a neck having a i discharge opening therein, a cap for controlling the discharge through said opening, said cap having an opening out of line with said discharge opening and mounted for endwise reciprocatory motion over said neck, a substantially circular spring ring carried within said cap, and

means serving as a pair of spaced annular depressions formed on said neck, one engageable by said spring ring to positively hold the cap in closed position and the other engageable by said spring ring to positively hold the cap in open position.

11. A container comprising a cylindrical neck having a discharge opening therein, a cap for controlling the discharge through said opening, said cap having a cylindrical portion closely fitting said cylindrical neck and mounted for endwise reciprocatory motion over said neck, a substantially circular spring ring carried within said cap, and a pair of spaced annular grooves formed in the cylindrical surface of said neck, one engageable by said spring to positively hold the cap in closed position andthe other engageable by said spring to positively hold the cap in open position.

12. A container comprising a cylindrical neck having a discharge opening therein, a cap for controlling the discharge through said opening, said cap having a cylindrical portion closely fltting said cylindrical neck and mounted for end wise reciprocatory movement over said neck, inwardly biased detent'means carried by said cap, and a pair of spaced annular grooves formed in the cylindrical surface of said neck, adjacent edge portions of said grooves being tapered and the opposite edge portions of the grooves forming abrupt shoulders, said detent means being adapted to engage one of said grooves to positively hold the cap in closed position and to engage the other groove to positively hold the cap in open position, said tapered portions providing for the movement of said cap from one position to the other and the shouldered portions of said grooves serving to limit the movement of said cap. F

13. A container comprising a cylindrical neck member having a discharge opening therein, a cap member for controlling the discharge through said opening, said cap member having a cylindrical portion closely fitting the cylindrical neck member and mounted for endwise reciprocatory movement thereon, detent means carried by one of said members and biased for movement toward the other of said members, and means serving as a pair of spaced annular grooves formed in the cylindrical surface of the other member, adjacent edges of said groove means being tapered to provide for movement of said detent means from one groove to the other and the opposite edges of said groove means being in the form of shoulders serving to prevent the detent means from moving beyond the groove means, the detent means being engageable with one of said groove means to hold the associated member in one position relative to the other member and engageable with the other groove means to hold the associated member in another position relative to the other member.

14. A container comprising a neck member having a discharge opening therein, a cap member reciprocable'to two positions on the neck member for opening and closing said discharge opening, said-cap member having a push-pull sliding motion on said neck member, and detent means comprising a snap device carried by one of said members and means forming spaced shoulders carried by the other of said members and cooperating with said snap device for retaining the cap member in either of its positions.

15. A container comprising a neck member having a discharge opening therein, a cap member reciprocable to two positions thereon for opening and closing said discharge opening, detent means for the cap member comprising a snap device carried by one of said members and means forming spaced shoulders carried by the other of said members and cooperating with said snap device for holding the cap member in either of its two positions, and shouldered means carried by said other member and also cooperating with.

said snap device to prevent the detachment of said cap member from the neck member.

PAUL D. HARTOG. 

